Well equipment



July 11, 1933. w -J c n-Es AL 1,917,701 1 WELL EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I M 21 W17". Crzzites w ,0. ]i .Knowltan y 1933. w. CRITES ET AL 1,917,701

WELL EQUIPMENT Filed Jan. 7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wfgj', Unites ,D.]f .KnangZZan.

Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES v 1,917,701 PATENT OFFICE 'WILBUR J'. ORITES AND DONALD R. KNOWLTON, F BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNORS TO PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY, OF BARTLESVILLEOKLAHOMA, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WELL EQUIPMENT Application filed January 7, 1932. Serial No. 585,353.

This invention relates to improvements in adjustable mechanism for use in pumping or drilling fluid producing wells.

More specifically, the invention pertains to adjustable mechanism to increase the efficiency of operation of pumping or drilling fluid producing wells, but especially to pumpwells by the walking other equipment when a crank cannot be efp fectively used in the performance of work.

4. Improved means for adj ustably counterbalancing the crank shaft, whereby minimum speed variation may be obtained, coincident with the reduction of stresses. I

5. An adjustable counter-balance so combined with the remainder of the mechanism that the inherent rapid transition from mini-,

mum to maximum stress in the pumping of oilwells may be eliminated.

6. An adjustable counter-balancing weight that may be placed in most effective opposition to maximum load.

7. Means to permit easy and rapid disconnecting of the crank and counter-balance from the crank shaft when those parts cannot be effectively used in the performance of work.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our improved means for pumping or drilling a well.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a detail taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a. detail on the.

line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the inner end portion of the crank.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the crank shaft.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the power end portion of the walking beam and showing the improved adjustable stirrup bearing.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a detail, showing the manner in which the stirrup connects the upper end of the pitman to the adjustable bearing.

Referring to the drawings, 9 designates one of the conventional jack posts which supports the crank shaft 10, that is driven by the usual band wheel, not shown. A crank 11 is rigidly secured to the shaft and actuates a pitman 12 which is operatively connected at its upper end to the power end of a walking beam 13. As is usual, such beam is ful-' crumed at 14 on a Sampson post 15, and its opposite end is provided with a beam hanger 16, connected by means of aclamp 17 to the olish rod 18 which reciprocates in the well tubing 19. Of course, the polish rod operates the usual rod string that effects pumping of the liquid upwardly through the tubing.

. In accordance with our invention, and as 1 best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one end of the crank shaft is provided with a cylindrical socket 10a formed within the hollow portion 10b of the shaft. The crank 11 has a cylindrical extension 1111 which engages the socket with a turning fit, and the crank is rigidly secured to the shaft by any suitable means, such as screws 11?). To insure the rigid connection, the crank has radial teeth 110 which interlock with similar teeth 100 at the outer end of the hollow portion of the shaft. This mechanism permits ready detachment of the crank when desired, and also allows the crank to be fastened in various positions to the shaft.

For the purpose of adjusting the pitman V 12 relatively to the crank, the latter has a radially extending slot 11d which adjustably receives the root end 11a of the crank pin 23. A washer 23a and nut 23?) are employed to rigidly lock the crank pin in any desired position along the slot.

- It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the crank is provided with graduation marks 23(Tf0r use in determining the position of the crank In accordance with .the present invention, a segmental counter-balance weight 22 is provided with a hub 22a which can turn about the hollow portion of the crank shaft, and

7 arc-shaped recess 22d into which the crank extends, and the counter weight has in this recess, a graduated scale 226 which is employed in properly fixing the bolt 220 in position.

A stirrup 20 is joined at its lower end to the pitman, and is provided at its upper end with apivot bolt 20a which rocks in a hearing 21. This hearing, as best shown in Fig. 7, is provided with slots 21a which extend lengthwise of the beam 13, and receive screws or bolts 21?) that are employed in adjustably fixing the bearing to the beam. A graduated scale 210 may be arranged on the beam to cooperate with an indicatingmark 21d on the bearing for use in securing the bearing in proper position.

, The advantages of this mechanism over existing devices are as follows:

1. In our knowledge of existing devices which are used for the translation of rotating motion to reciprocating motion, the power application at the time of maximum load is made at a more or less ineffective angle and at an angle that has a destructive efi'ect on parts of the equipment; also, when the stroke is lengthened, which increased the load, the angle of application becomes more ineffective on the load and more destructive on the equipment.

We propose to make a beam with a laterally adjustable stirrup bearing 21 on the power application end, so that the bearing position can be adjusted to obtain the most effective power application at maximum load, which adjustment .will incidentally obtain the least destructive effect on equipment. In this connection, the fact that the load on the upstroke is not equally distributed throughout this stroke, is of prime importance, also of equal importance is the fact that the dis- ,tribution of this load varies with varying characteristics of wells; consequently, the

bearing position will vary not only with dif{ ferent positions of the crank pin with reference to the crank, but also with different characteristics of different wells.

2. In existin' devices which are used for the pur ose 0% graduating the length of stroke 0 a pumping or drilling well, the degree of graduatlon is so great that it is often impossible to obtain the results desired. For example, it is common practice to use a crank with crank pin holes several inches apart,- and when a slight change of stroke is desired, the crank pin is changed to the next hole, which changes the stroke of the pump or drill twice the amount of the pin change. Thus it is obvious that the changed stroke may be greater or-less than is desired.

We propose to use a crank 11 with an elonoperations as pulling of rod or tubing is necessary, the pitman is removed and a rapid motion of the crank shaft is required; the crank, being an unbalanced rotating member of the crank shaft assembly, imparts a gymtory 'motion to the crank shaft and this has a highly destructive effect on the jack post bearings.

We ropose to provide a readily removable cra 11 on the crank shaft 10, so that the crank may be easily disconnected from the ;rank shaft to eliminate this destructive efect.

4. In known devices used for the purpose of reducing speed variation and stresses, there are no other crank counter balances that havebeen so constructed that the counter balance effect can be adjusted to most effective opposition to the mean load position. In this connection, the fact that the load on the upstroke is not equally distributed throughout this stroke is of prime importance. Also of equal importance is the fact that the distribution of this load varies with varying characteristics of wells, speed of operation and condition of equipment. Consequently, the proper "position of the counter balance with reference to its relative position to the crank will vary accordingly.- There are crank counter balances that allow a change of the relative position of counter balance and crank, but we know of none that permit an exact adjustment of counter balance effect in themost efi'ective opposition to load effect.

We have found that, in all properly operated pumping wells 'using the reciprocating motion, the load lags behind the polish rod motion-and that the maximum stress appears well up onthe upstroke, also that the maximum rateof polish rod travel occurs as the rods enter maximum stress and that the degree of lag, as'well as the rate of travel, varies under varying conditions.

Therefore, we propose to make a counter balance 22 that is rotatabl adjustable about the crank shaft 10, in e ective op osition wells.

We propose to use a circumferentially adjustable counter balance 22 so constructed that through the adjustment of the counter balance position with reference to the cycle of operation, a reduction in maximum rate of motion and an increase in minimum rate of motion will be effected, thereby reducing the variation in stress. This effect will be obtained by adjustment of the counter balance in relation to the crank, so that the counter balance will be approaching center position as the crank passes over this posi tion, thus retarding the motion of the rods as they are entering maximum stress and after the rods have entered maximum stress, which is the time that they have reached the limit of elastic travel and the fluid is starting in motion, the counter balance effeet on lifting the load will be increasing. This increase of counter balance efiect will be at the time that the load is increasing and the stress decreasing, and thereby we will realize a reduction in variation in stress.

6. Usually, all crank counter balances require considerable time for disconnection when it is desired to condition a well.

We propose to mount our counter balance 22 on a flanged crank 11 as described under advantage (3), and as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive.

7 Referring to Figs. 1 and 6 for the purpose of considering the purpose of graduations for adjustment, it is obvious that each i change of position of crank pin 23 will require a change of position of stirrup bearing 21; further, since the position of the mean effective load with reference to the crank circle varies with the varying char- 7 acteristics of wells as well as with the speed 'of operation and the type and condition of equipment used, the position of stirrup bearing 21 will be determined by the combined influence of all the factors. Therefore, it is not only necessary to have an adjustable stirrup bearing, but it is also necessary that the graduated marking for position be used in determining the proper position of the bearing.

The graduations on the crank 11 for crank pin position are used primarily for the purpose of determining the length of stroke; however, they are also used in connection with the graduations for the stirrup bearing 21 to determine the position of this bearing.

The graduations on the counter balance 22 are used in connection with determining the exact location of the counter balance weight with reference to the crank circle, and as the mean load position with reference to the crank circle varies'on different wells and under different operating conditions, this graduated scale is anessential factor in effective counter balancing. In fact, the maximum eifectiveness of our pro osed method is dependent upon the use 0 these three graduated adjustments.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, and we are aware that changes may be made in the details disclosed,

without departing from the spirit of the in vention, as expressed in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Well pumping or drilling mechanism of the walking beam type, including a rotatable crank shaft member, a crank member detachably connected to said shaft member and adjustable around the axis of said shaft member, means for securing the crank member in various positions of adjustment on said shaft member, a pitman,-means pivotally connecting the pitman to the crank member, the last mentioned means being adjustable lengthwise of the crank member, means pivotally connecting the pitman to the walking beam, the last mentioned means being adjustable lengthwise of the walking beam, the shaft member having a cylindrical socket and the crank member being provided with a cylindrical pin projecting into said socket, said members being provided with interlocked teeth radiating from the axis of the shaft.

2. Well pumping or drilling mechanism of the walking beam type, including a rotatable crank shaft, a crank secured to the shaft, a pitman, means pivotally connecting the pitman to the crank and adjustable lengthwise of the crank, means pivotally connecting the pitman to one end portion of the walking beam and adjustable lengthwise of the walking beam, and a counter-weight operatively connected to the crank and adjustable about theaxis of said shaft.

3. Well umping or drilling mechanism of the walking beam type, including a rotatable crank shaft, a crank secured to the shaft and adjustable around the axis of said shaft, a pitman, means pivotally connecting the pitman to the crank and adjustable lengthwise of the crank, means pivotally connecting the pitmanto one end portion of the walking beam and adjustable lengthwise of the walking beam, and a counter-weight secured to the crank and adjustable about the axis of said shaft.

In testimony whereof, we hereto afiix our signatures.

WILBUR J. GRITES. DONALD R. KNOWLTON. 

